"That’s not all," she continued with an exasperated tone. "There are also the moral considerations, which are the most pesky of them all. Every experint we perform or study we conduct affects the lives of many, many people. If an economic or political experint fails, then... you just ruined the lives of thousands or millions of people."
"And my father bypassed those shortcomings?"
"Not exactly, although his administration is the most robust at data-recording," she admitted. "What he did was confirm or refute many anthropological theories and hypotheses. In his four-century run of a whopping economic success, he has proven, beyond all reasonable doubt, that there are definitive paths to success as a nation that contrast sharply with definitive paths to failure. That is why every researcher in the humanities loves your father. He is the ultimate torch in an otherwise dark and unknown landscape, shedding light on truths that we could have never known without him!"
The vigor in her voice as she spoke about him and his contributions was real. She spoke with an excitable vibrance as well as a calm wisdom simultaneously, as if the energy of a young body contrasted sharply with the olden spirit that occupied it.
"...I see." Rui’s expression softened. "My father was indeed a great man. And now..."
His ethereal eyes grew steely with determination. "Now I must ascend the throne and live up to his greatness."
She directed a knowing gaze at him. "That is what you wish to consult about, I imagine. You are a Martial Artist; your understanding of statesmanship pales in comparison to your father’s. No matter how much martial power you have, you cannot punch your way into becoming a good Emperor."
Rui nodded. "More importantly... I want to understand how I can deploy my power for the good of the nation. I want to create a nation where my power becos the power of the people. I want to create a nation that can adaptively evolve to any external threat and overco it to reach greater heights. I do not rely wish to be a guardian of Kandria or a donor of Martial miracles. I believe that I can do more. And I believe that it is possible for my Martial Path to overlap the path of an emperor."
To her credit, she didn’t simply scoff at the notion. She paused, taking her ti to think about what Rui had said, stealing an inquisitive glance at him every now and then.
"What you seek is possible, but difficult," she began with a knowing tone. "But if you expect to just give you the answer right here and now, then I’m afraid you’re deeply mistaken about what it is that I actually do. I cannot conjure up a brand-new political philosophy of governance and statesmanship for you right here and now. I study civilizations and identify the causality of their outcos. On a broader level, I study patterns that seem to exist across a myriad of case studies. That is what I do. And in fact..."
She shrugged. "That is all I taught your father. I taught him about the patterns of causality in civilizations, and that was all he sought from . I did not teach him how to govern, or how to run a nation, or what policies to implent, or what actions to take geopolitically. Your father developed those himself along with a panel of specialists who helped him, but his vision was his, not sothing that I bestowed upon him. As I said..."
Her tone grew profoundly wise. "Your father taught more than anything I ever taught him."
Rui’s expression was thoughtful at those words. "...His vision was his, was it?"
She nodded. "His political savvy was clear from the very start. He was also deeply competent. I’m not the easiest person to find, but he found rather quickly and sought for my knowledge on civilizations. I ultimately acquiesced because I saw an opportunity to conduct an experint. Of course, I had no idea that he would actually win the Kandrian Throne War as easily as he did and beco the greatest Emperor of human civilization. I would have taught him even more if I knew that. In contrast..."
Her tone grew disapproving. "The fact that you seek the solution from alone is proof of the fact that you are not as capable as your father was."
Rui remained unfazed by those words. "That is simply the plain truth, yes. My father’s ability and competence remain unmatched. It was why NOVA wanted to kill him even more than she wanted to kill . However..."
His tone grew stronger. "I have strengths that my father does not have. For example..."
RUMBLE
The Beast Domain shook as Rui activated his Realms of Power for just a mont. Chills crawled across the Shepherd’s skin at the unfathomable power she felt from him. Even the Martial Sage, whose loyalty she had earned, felt like an insect compared to the voluminous power that Rui possessed.
"I am the most powerful being on this continent. The King of Beasts and the Emperor of Sea Monsters," Rui continued with an unyielding tone. "I possess true power, unlike my father and other human rulers; power that cannot be taken away from or compromised in any way."
"That does more than compensate for your shortcomings," she admitted with a more respectful tone. "Still... only you can chart your path as Emperor. I cannot pave that path for you, at most... I could help guide you as you find your own way as Emperor if I really stuck by your side. With my insights into the life and death of civilizations, I could help you achieve your vision."
Rui’s ethereal eyes lit up at those words. "I’ll take it."
It was exactly what he needed, soone who could help him flesh out his vision throughout his reign as Emperor. It was still not as perfect as being handed the solution he sought. He did not derive any joy from doing this the hard way, but it was better to have her by his side than to do it by himself.
"You’ll take it? I wasn’t giving it," she huffed lightly, shaking her head. "I cannot beco your advisor. I have my own research project, one that is very difficult. Studying the primordial civilization will require to be in this land for many years. I cannot possibly take up the role of guiding you as Emperor."
She waved her hand at him dismissively. "Sorry, but you’re on your own. I need to get back to studying this Lost City. Good luck with your whole Emperorhood."
She got up, walking away apathetically.
It appeared that not even being the son of the man she was grateful to was enough to earn her help.
Thankfully, her words gave Rui an idea.
"Wait."
She heaved an exasperated sigh, stopping lethargically before turning towards him with a dubious expression. "What is it? Just to be clear, no threats or bribes with gold are going to work. I have long lost my sense of self-preservation, and material luxury is aningless to . Even the revelation of true immortality or whatever the Scrier was telling about is not sothing I give a damn about."
Rui’s expression grew thoughtful. "...Ultimately, you are here because you seek to docunt all the information of this ruined Lost City, yes?"
She nodded as she glared at him lightly. "The Lost City you and your fellow Martial Sages ruined. Tsk, you should have left the Eldritch Chira alone to preserve this miracle of a Lost City."
The contempt in her tone was sharp, but Rui didn’t care for the disrespect.
He simply grinned at those words. "Well, you’re in luck. Because I use a technique called the Angel of Laplace at the start of every battle, it’s a technique that docunts every vector within a surrounding region to extrapolate the past from it. I also have a habit of storing a copy of all the data each ti I use it in my Mind Palace, just in case I ever need it again in the future."
The Shepherd’s jaw dropped in a comical fashion as her auburn eyes widened with shock. "You an... you have a perfectly preserved three-dinsional copy of this Lost City before it was ruined?"
Rui’s smile grew more smug.
"Ready to talk more about the prospect of working for as a royal advisor?"
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